A Chapel in a Converted Container For a Parish in Ukraine

The Parish of St. (Padre) Pio in Krasnosilka lies in a village in southern Ukraine some 10 miles north of the city of Odessa. It is a small, young parish, with a Catholic community numbering only around 30 people, mainly families with young children. But other families are beginning to show an interest in the Catholic faith.

There is still no proper church here. Mass is still celebrated in a room in the private house where the priest lives. It is already far too small, and the parishioners do not feel it is appropriate to have to pray in a private home. They would like to have a proper chapel with the Blessed Sacrament reserved and used exclusively for Holy Mass and prayer. Not having a dedicated church is also an obstacle to would-be believers seeking faith, since in this culture, religious gatherings in private homes tend to be associated with local religious sects.

Bishop Stanislaw Szyrokoradiuk is full of admiration for the Catholic faithful who continue to meet and pray in these conditions. Building a church is expensive, however, and while the community is still dynamic, it is still very small, and it is not clear how it may develop in the future. There is a risk that whatever is built could prove to be either too small or too large.

The bishop has come up with a somewhat unconventional idea, namely a “container chapel” that would nevertheless have a proper spire and so be easily recognizable from outside as a place of worship. This could be erected quickly and easily, and if a larger church were eventually needed one day, it could then be easily moved and re-erected in another small community where it could continue to serve as a chapel. It would also be fully insulated and have its own ventilation system.

The bishop is asking us for $22,700 for this practical solution. We think it is an excellent and pragmatic one and are willing to help.

Would you be able to contribute to build this unconventional chapel for this young parish in Ukraine?

We are sure Bishop Szyrokoradiuk will gratefully remember you in his prayers.

Aid to the Church in Need commits to invest your funds where they will have the greatest impact for the Church that we serve. Funds donated to Aid to the Church in Need’s projects will be used towards the greatest need in our programs to help keep the Faith alive.

Code: 438-01-19